Ukrainian forces seize territory in ‘grey zone’ in Donbass - Pushilin

Friday, February 9, 2018 - 19:38

Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) continue to occupy settlements in the buffer zone on the contact line in Donbass, thereby grossly violating the Minsk agreements, head of the delegation of the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR) at the Minsk talks Denis Pushilin stated on Wednesday, February 7.

"The Ukrainian forces continue to seize populated areas and territories located within the so-called ‘grey zone.’ The OSCE Special Monitoring Mission [SMM] noted this fact, pointing to the reduction in the distance between the positions of the parties to the conflict. The above-mentioned actions are a grave violation of the Minsk accords and agreements on observance of the ceasefire regime, prohibiting the parties from any progress," Pushilin’s statement says.

According to the DPR envoy, the fact that Ukraine "takes purposeful, planned and demonstrative" control of these territories is of particular concern. At the same time, as he noted, the DPR fulfils its obligations, militiamen were ordered not to advance.

"The actions of Ukraine directly contradict the content of the Minsk agreements and lead to further escalation of the conflict. As a result of the Ukrainian forces' occupation of positions near the Donetsk filtering station, a new hot spot has emerged on the contact line. By its actions Ukraine purposefully complicates the already difficult negotiating process and boosts an increase in the number of violations," the DPR representative stressed.

Over the past two years of the Donbass conflict, the AFU units have already captured more than 10 settlements in the buffer zone.